Early results can be deceiving, so which teams that stumbled or surged in Week 1 will bounce back in Week 2? Denver’s opener was a mess, rookie and young quarterbacks like Drake Maye and Jordan Love struggled against backups, and the Rams’ preseason hype hasn’t fully materialized. This weekend features matchups that could tell us a lot: Cincinnati’s revamped defense faces C.J. Stroud, Denver gets a tough road test against Jacksonville, and the Chiefs host the Colts on Sunday Night. Betting lines quoted below were taken from DraftKings Sportsbook on Sept. 15.
Pittsburgh Steelers at New England Patriots (-4.5)
– Jordan Dajani (Steelers +4.5): Last season’s meeting was forgettable, and with New England having extra time after a rough opener, this feels like a low-scoring game — especially with A.J. Brown sidelined. Pittsburgh has a recent track record of covering as an underdog in similar spots, so Dajani leans to the Steelers keeping it close. Prediction: Patriots 16, Steelers 13.
– Jared Dubin (Patriots -4.5): New England’s offense looked shaky vs. Seattle, but Dubin trusts the Patriots’ overall attack more than Pittsburgh’s and expects New England to pull away in a relatively low-scoring contest. Prediction: Patriots 21, Steelers 13.
New Orleans Saints at Baltimore Ravens (-7.5)
– Dajani (Saints +7.5): Baltimore dominated Week 1, piling up yards and points, but New Orleans’ Tyler Shough impressed in a comeback that showed his toughness. With questions about Baltimore’s receivers and Shough’s solid ATS record as a starter, Dajani expects the Saints to at least cover. Prediction: Ravens 28, Saints 24.
– Dubin (Saints +7.5): The Ravens’ offense looked elite against the Colts, but Dubin is wary of Zay Flowers’ injury and thinks the Saints might claw back late like they did last week, giving New Orleans a shot at a back-door cover. Prediction: Ravens 27, Saints 20.
Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans (-2.5)
– Dajani (Texans -2.5): Cincinnati’s defense flashed playmaking ability, but Houston’s coaching staff will have time to correct issues after Week 1. Dajani expects the Texans’ home crowd and adjustments to be enough for a narrow win. Prediction: Texans 27, Bengals 23.
– Dubin (Texans -2.5): Both offenses showed potential; Cincinnati scored but wasn’t sharp, while Houston’s attack played better than some expected. Dubin likes the Texans to edge out the Bengals in a close game. Prediction: Texans 26, Bengals 24.
Jacksonville Jaguars at Denver Broncos (-3)
– Dajani (Jaguars +3): After Denver’s disastrous showing Monday night — an offense that couldn’t find rhythm and a defense that missed a lot of tackles — Dajani isn’t comfortable laying points with the Broncos. He believes Jacksonville is a legitimate contender and will win in Mile High. Prediction: Jaguars 24, Broncos 23.
– Dubin (Push): Jacksonville looked dominant in Week 1 and Denver looked awful, but Dubin still has confidence in Denver’s offseason work and expects them to rebound while Jacksonville cools off a bit. His score call favors Denver narrowly: Broncos 24, Jaguars 21.
Indianapolis Colts at Kansas City Chiefs (-6.5)
– Dajani (Chiefs -6.5): While the Colts have had success against Patrick Mahomes in the past, Kansas City’s renewed commitment to the run with Kenneth Walker (173 rushing yards in Week 1) could exploit Indianapolis’ weak run defense. Dajani takes the Chiefs to win by about a touchdown. Prediction: Chiefs 24, Colts 17.
– Dubin (Colts +6.5): Dubin expects Kansas City to rely on an effective rushing game again, but if their passing game isn’t consistently better than it was against Denver, blowouts won’t come easily. He thinks the Colts will keep it close, even if the Chiefs grind out the win. Prediction: Chiefs 21, Colts 17.
New York Giants at Los Angeles Rams (-7)
– Dajani (Rams -7): After the Giants’ upset of Dallas, Dajani senses public money on New York and prefers to fade that reaction. With Aaron Donald set to return and the Rams having had extra rest after the Australia game, he expects L.A. to recover and cover late. Prediction: Rams 30, Giants 21.
– Dubin (Rams -7): Both Week 1 results (Rams’ poor outing in Australia and the Giants’ strong performance vs. Dallas) felt like outliers to Dubin, who leans on preseason expectations and sees L.A. winning convincingly. Prediction: Rams 27, Giants 17.
Detroit Lions at Buffalo Bills (-4.5) — Thursday Night Football
– Dajani (Bills -4.5): A marquee primetime matchup and the Bills’ first game in the rebuilt Highmark Stadium, Dajani expects a shootout but prefers Buffalo given Detroit’s injuries along the offensive line and Buffalo’s disruptive front. He sees the Bills prevailing in a high-scoring affair. Prediction: Bills 36, Lions 30.
– Dubin (Lions +4.5): Anticipating fireworks from both offenses — this has one of the week’s highest totals — Dubin thinks the Lions will keep it tight and cover the spread even if Buffalo narrowly wins the game. Prediction: Bills 35, Lions 31.
Fan Take: These early-week storylines matter because Week 2 can start shaping public perceptions — are the Week 1 surprises flukes or signs of larger trends? How teams adjust (or fail to) against more familiar opponents will influence playoff outlooks and coaching narratives across the league.
Source: www.cbssports.com
